Original subtitles

If I get back there without no venison, that old Doc'll rag me clean to death.

Never have saw the lack of game in these parts like this.

I just don't understand.

Whoa.

Well, no wonder.

You're slipping around here scaring everything off.

Whoa.

Help!

Help!

Help me!

Man's got hisself a problem, ain't he?

Yeah, he's trapped like a hog on a bleeding hook.

Purely happy he fired that shot instead of us.

Somebody!

Hey, Chunk. You think that's one of them drovers?

If he is, we got us one less to worry about.

Ain't that right, fellas?

That poor fella could starve to death before he gets them rocks off hisself.

Let's leave him enjoy his misery. Turn the wagon, Arlie Joe.

You're gonna ride off and let that man die?

I swear you got yourself a little girl there, Chunk.

Get that wagon turned.

He needs help.

You're going agin all I taught you.

I said he needs help!

Boy!

Boy's got backbone going agin you, Chunk.

So's a snake.

You just stomp on it.

You been doing that five year now. Ain't seen no change yet.

I didn't... didn't think nobody heard me.

Are you hurt bad, mister?

Feels like my leg's busted. I can't tell about the rest of me.

I'll see if I can get any of this loose.

Just careful you don't bring the rest of the mountain down on us.

You getting choosy about the way you go?

Oh, that's the one there.

I'm keenly obliged to you, boy.

- We was just passing by. - We?

Me and them.

Them fellas send you over here to help me, did they?

Not likely.

Thanks. Festus Haggen. I'm from Dodge City.

I guess you're alive enough to fend for yourself now.

I reckon. Look, boy, you done me a big favor.

I could have died right here.

- Yep, that you could, that you could. - Well, wait a minute.

I wanna thank you by name.

No call being polite, mister, 'cause I ain't stayin'.

Wait a minute, boy. Wait a minute.

Wait a minute!

Now, get the wagon turned.

Well, now, if that don't tie the pup.

Whomp him in the head with that rock, Sugar John.

I'd feel a lot better putting a bullet in his eyeball.

No need wasting them, we got an easy killing like this.

- Hurry up. - Yeah, go on, Sugar John.

Hey, wait a minute. Somebody's coming.

Maybe it's one of them drovers come to claim his property.

Shut up and let me do the talking. You understand me, boy?

- Howdy, traveler. - Howdy.

Damned if that don't look like a marshal's badge you're wearing.

- That's right. - Well, now, right privileged, Marshal.

Friends call me Chunk.

This here's Sugar John, Bodiddly, Weevil.

And the boy on the wagon's Arlie Joe.

- Just passing pilgrims, that's us. - Uh-huh.

- That your steer? - I don't know what...

Well, we was just wondering who the poor orphan belonged to.

Thought maybe you might know.

Looks like he's wearing a Texas brand. Maybe he strayed from the drive, huh?

Now, don't that bend the dust. He do got a brand on him at that.

Learn you to be more careful about bringing in animals don't belong to you.

- Yeah, but I didn't... - Shut up.

Kindly glad you came along when you did, Marshal.

Why, we might have done some innocent rustling without even knowing it.

Uh-huh. I'm looking for a man named Festus Haggen.

He's supposed to be out this way on a hunting trip.

I thought you might have seen him.

He's kind of medium build, got a face full of whiskers, average height.

Medium height, whiskers...

Nope. Sugar John?

I ain't never seen nobody look like that.

- Weevil? - Recollect seeing a couple of Indians.

But that's all. Bodiddly?

I been with the rest of you, ain't I?

How about you, son?

Anything you wanna add to what's been said, Arlie Joe?

No, nothin'.

I tell you, Marshal, we run into your friend,

we'll do for him whatever's needed.

A sweet angel always wants us to help thy neighbors where we can.

As long as nobody's claiming that steer, maybe we'll just turn him loose, huh?

We'll send that little fella stomping as soon as you leave, Marshal.

There's no need for that as long as you're leaving anyway.

Oh, whatever you say, Marshal.

Well, you done all the talking and we still lost us a steer.

Hush your mouth. That marshal got more important business than pestering us.

We'll give him a couple of minutes.

Then we'll see what else the sweet angel done made available for us.

All right, get this.

Them hide cutters been rim-walking the herd for a week now,

just waiting for their chance.

From now on I want double guard on night hawk.

What do we do if we catch one of 'em?

You bring him to me. I got plans for him.

Mr. McKee. Somebody coming in.

- Evening. - Well, well.

Name's Matt Dillon, US marshal from Dodge City.

Amos McKee, trail boss.

I saw your herd from the rim. Looks like a big one.

Taking 20 of us to handle it.

I'm looking for a friend of mine name of Festus Haggen.

He's a few days overdue from a hunting trip.

- Adds up. - What do you mean?

One of my flank crowd is looking for strays.

A couple of days ago he found your friend.

Thanks.

Festus?

Matthew! How did you get here?

- It's good to see you. - It's good to see you too.

Never mind how I got here. What happened to you?

Well, I got tangled up in a avalanche a-coming down from Bare Madras.

Looks to me like you lucked out pretty good, considering.

- How's the leg? Pretty bad? - Well, it feels like it's busted.

But I'll tell you this.

It could have been a heap sight worse if that boy hadn't have come along.

- What boy's that? - He dug me out from under them rocks.

And if he hadn't, I could have been there till yet, dead most likely.

He was with the raunchiest looking bunch of fellas that you've ever saw.

Yeah, I know who they are. I ran into them back up the trail aways.

They're a pretty mean-looking bunch.

Matthew, I think they're following this herd,

'cause that's all them cowpunchers

has been a-talking about since I been with them.

I think there's gonna be some trouble.

McKee, I sure appreciate your taking care of him.

Like beef on a hook, Marshal, we guarantee live delivery.

What's this I hear about you having some trouble with these hide cutters?

You're welcome to bed down for the night, Marshal.

The hide cutters we'll tend to, once we lay hands on 'em.

McKee.

Now, this is my territory. If there's any tending to do, I'll do it.

A good stampede at night ought to get, oh, maybe a hundred or more.

Stampeding tears up hides, boy.

When you been with us a bit longer,

you'll learn you don't get top dollar for bruised hides.

Maybe we can poison the water hole up ahead.

We used the last of the poison taking them hides we buried over at Salt Flats.

Let's have victuals, think on it a while.

- What do you think you're doing, boy? - You said we was gonna make camp.

Sugar John, kick that fire out.

Why, you ought to give Arlie Joe a kick, to fetch him some smart.

Fire sends up smoke, boy.

This close to the herd, we'd be inviting them drovers to come join us.

Hey, look there.

Arlie Joe's getting smart already. He's learned to rub where it hurts.

Weevil, pass that jug.

Come on, come on.

Oh.

A man'd be a sorry soul without some barley wet to settle their guts.

You know something, Arlie Joe?

I'm beginning to think you're a plumb sorry investment.

I don't particular care what you think.

Here your folks up and die back in Carolina,

and I kindly offer you the charity of my own home.

Home? Is that what you call that stinkin' wagon?

Well, some'd think it sweet to have a place sleeping off the ground.

Take it easy, Chunk. He ain't learned gratitude yet, that's all.

I go adopting him for my own.

I give that preacher a dollar and a whole jug to make it legal.

And that boy don't even say thankee.

Mighty nice ceremony that preacher give too, I recollect.

Made me almost tearful sorry I don't have no kids myself.

- Want him? - Well, I ain't that tearful sorry.

What you looking at, boy?

Nothin'. I ain't looking at nothin'.

Stand respectful when you talks to your elders.

That's better.

Now...

Where's that dried piece of brisket you've been hogging for yourself?

- It's gone. - Gone?

Now, you mean hid, don't you?

I ain't got it no more.

Well, you won't mind I go looking for myself.

Arlie Joe, someday you're gonna learn

what the sweet angel teaches about charity with your kindly loving kin.

Matthew, long ways to Dodge, ain't it?

Oh, it'll be about a week at this rate, Festus.

Matthew, I feel plumb bad about having you eat all this dust on my account.

Well, don't feel bad about that. It isn't only you.

I wanna be sure that we keep McKee and these hide cutters

- from going at each other. - How could you do that?

There are just four of them fellas and that ragtailed young 'un

up against 20 cowpunchers.

Well, both sides are carrying rifles. That's all it takes for a shootout.

How's your friend?

He's getting starved to death. That's how he is.

Glad you're enjoying the hospitality.

What can we do for you, McKee?

I'm short a man on drag, seeing as I'm donating room and board for him.

Glad to help you out if it'll keep things even.

It's the only way to keep it even.

Hey! Hey! Hey!

Water hole's got dead strays hanging around it.

- Could be bad water. Poison. - Poison?

Well, something killed 'em. I didn't stick around to find out.

If the herd get a smell of that water, we won't be able to stop 'em.

- Head 'em east. - Turn 'em east! Bad water ahead!

- Turn them east! Hah! - All right, Marshal, drag us that way.

Let's see what kind of drover a badge pusher makes.

Come on! Come on!

- Go! - Turn 'em east!

Turn 'em east! There's bad water ahead!

Turn them east!

Bad water! Turn 'em east!

- Turn 'em east! - Turn 'em east!

Eee! Look at all them glove bellies.

- Poisoned water hole? - No.

I seen cattle in Mexico swoll like that.

They died of the slobbering droops.

What's the slobbering droops?

I don't know for certain, but it treats cows like they was poleaxed proper.

Now we know why that herd changed direction so sudden fast.

Hey, maybe we can find a few more of 'em hooked up round here

- if we look real careful. - I ain't thinking on strays no more.

- Go fetch that calf, Sugar John. - Right.

- What for? - He's gonna catch us a whole herd.

- You funnin' us? - I don't fun on business.

We're gonna stake that calf off in the wild.

Then we're gonna sneak him into the herd so's he can pass it around.

Makes a man proud to know him, don't it?

Brains is power.

Ain't there some other way 'sides that calf, Chunk?

Yeah, maybe if you was to ask those drovers real polite, like,

they might turn their backs while we skin out a hundred or so head.

We'll move on aways and make camp.

Sugar John. You tie that calf off somewheres.

Right.

Bodiddly, you and Weevil skin out them there carcasses.

But... But, Chunk, the stink of it.

Are you all of a sudden persnickety?

Well, let Arlie Joe do it.

Arlie Joe's gonna set up camp and hunt us up some water.

Oversee it directly.

Well, get it moving, boy.

Don't get it too full, now, Matthew. It'll be slopping all over.

We can't carry it in our pockets, you know, Festus.

Well...

Bypassing that water hole like we did,

we're gonna need all this water and then some.

Yah! Yah!

Whoa, whoa.

Oh, hello, Arlie Joe.

- Water's free, ain't it? - Arlie Joe?

Matthew, that there's the boy who saved my hide.

- That's the one, huh? - It is, right there.

I asked about the water.

Help yourself.

Arlie Joe.

Why, I seen that big fella a-thomping you around over yonder,

and I know he was doing it on my account.

Lawson! You planning to homestead this spot?

- Get that wagon back to the herd. - On my way.

Arlie Joe, if you was to ever get into Dodge, now, be sure...

Wait a minute! Can't you see I'm talking to this boy?

Hold on! Wait a minute!

It's been a spell waiting to get my hands on one of you.

- Stand up, kid. - Leave him alone, McKee.

He's the boy that saved Festus from that rock slide.

- He's one of them hide cutters. - I ain't no hide cutter.

- Where's the rest of your bunch? - I said leave him alone, McKee.

- I don't need nobody speaking for me. - A hide cutter kid.

I've seen 'em eight years old could skin out a steer before it stopped quivering.

Scum, all of 'em.

That fancy gun, them leather breeches, don't make me scared of you, drover.

Let's see what does.

- Well, that says it, Marshal. - You pushed it.

We know for sure where you stand.

I stand right in the middle, McKee.

Ain't nothing more I'd like to do than to mix with you.

But I got a herd to tend to.

When we get back to Dodge, you and me's gonna finish this.

It's up to you.

You know, he was wrong, Arlie Joe, but so were you, dead wrong.

I didn't need no help from you.

You draw a knife on a man, you can't expect him to like it.

Now, put that thing away.

I got rights to defend myself.

You can't carve a man up for calling you names.

Drovers ain't no better than hide cutters anyway.

What they can't scare, they kick.

That's a pretty big chip you're carrying around.

Calling me scum. There's ways of getting even. Don't you fret about that.

Arlie Joe, I'm gonna tell you something. I'd like to have you for a friend.

But if you start causing any trouble, I'm gonna have to come after you.

I wouldn't wanna have to do that.

Sugar John.

Weevil.

- Bodiddly. - Huh?

Quick way to get a burying.

I believe you, neighbor. I believe you.

No... What are you doing? You can't do this to us.

- I take it you're in charge. - We're peaceful folk.

Ain't no call waving arms at us like this.

You been following my herd. I got a keen interest to know why.

Herd? We don't know nothin' about no herd.

It'd mean nothin' to us if we did.

Truth to say, cows spook me something fierce.

Yeah, amen.

We live off the leavings of the land, we do,

taking only what the sweet angel sees fit.

Ain't that truthful right, fellas?

It's a poor but honest life.

The fact is, we're turning off for the mountains, first thing, come morning.

Heard tell there's right good trapping up there.

- Then you'll be moving east. - Gospel truth.

As soon as we get rested.

Just passing pilgrims, that's us. Pure, sweet-natured.

You ain't soaking up that oil, are you, Mr. McKee?

Not today.

You, kid, pick up them rifles. Empty the shells into this.

Yes, sir, Mr. Drover, boss.

Luke, check the wagons for more ammunition.

Boy's been an anchor weight on my virtuous shoulders

since the day I adopted him.

Adopted? Then he ain't one of yours after all.

That's right. I ain't one of theirs.

Puts our lives poorly in fear, you go taking our shooting lead.

A fat handful of peace and quiet.

We catch anybody rim-walking the herd again,

I promise you'll get all the lead you can use.

Grieves me to think there ain't no trust left in the world.

Mister, I'm gonna show you how much trust I got.

Get your boots off. You boys give 'em a hand.

Move.

Well, now, what are you about to do?

Yeah, we ain't been messing with your herd.

I'm gonna make sure you never do.

- Bill, pick up the horses. - What are you gonna do to us?

Get the rags off your feet.

Davis, rake up that fire. Spread them coals out some.

On your feet.

You hold on, now.

I'm gonna make sure you don't follow no herd for some time to come.

Chunk?

You're up first.

Chick, if he needs urging, you give him a hand.

No need. No need, brother.

Over here.

By the time you're up to it, I figure I ought to have my herd into Dodge.

And then some, friend, then some.

Chunk, no!

You hush.

You gotta learn, when you take up a trade,

gotta take the risks with it.

All right, hold on.

Figured you to be sleeping, Marshal.

What's going on here, McKee?

We just dropped by for a friendly talk. Isn't that right, boys?

Friendly talk? He was gonna make us...

Ain't manly to interrupt when there's others talking, Bodiddly.

Arlie Joe, what happened here?

Now, Marshal, if'n I could say something...

Shut up. Arlie Joe?

We was asked to leave.

It don't break my heart none. They go their way, we go on.

- Sweet angel lighting the path. - Hmm.

McKee, until you can prove otherwise,

these men got a right to ride any trail they want to, same as you have.

Now, get your men to ride out of here.

Let's go, boys.

Now, if you got any sense,

you'll stay as far away from those men and their herd as you can.

Next time you might not be so lucky.

Pure, dear, peace-loving folk, that's us, Marshal.

Hey, cousin, let's make tracks for the tall country.

Arlie Joe.

You know, if you... if you wanna get away from your friends here,

now's the time to say so.

Why?

Well, I figure I owe you something for helping Festus the way you did.

I don't need no help from you.

You done good, boy, real good.

First time I seen you appreciate the loving concern of your legal kin.

But it plumb hurts my feelings

the way you and that marshal seems to get along.

That's just so you don't forget whose side you're on.

We'll be in Dodge in a few days. You will be available?

Any time, McKee.

I don't think we're gonna have any more trouble with them hide cutters.

Well, if we do, I'll be real interested to know who starts it.

I'm gonna have this here calf spread them slobbering droops to that herd.

Get her moving, Sugar John.

Arlie Joe?

Since you and that marshal seems to get along so sweetly nice,

I'm gonna let you go visit him.

What?

Now, they're not gonna shoot a tadboy

just for being kind enough to bring in a poor stray.

You're gonna kill off that whole herd.

Sweet angel gonna fill our baskets to the brim.

I ain't gonna do it.

Oh, it's plain you got powerful influence on that boy, Chunk.

Hush up.

You got a short memory, Arlie Joe.

Remember back in Missouri when you got unrespectful

and I had to lock you in that cage?

I'll be minding.

What did I put in that cage with you, boy?

All right. All right, I'll do what you tell me.

Oh, I get riled,

I'm liable to whomp up a new cage real sudden, like.

Now, get that calf down to the herd.

Hah!

How are you going to assure Arlie Joe don't turn that calf loose?

Always like to plan for emergencies.

If he don't do like he's told, we're gonna have us a shootin'.

Then we're gonna tell that marshal how tearful sad we is

because them lowdown drovers killed our precious boy.

Let's keep an eye on him.

I swear, Matthew, the only-est beef I wanna look at from now on

- is gonna be on a platter. - I know what you mean.

I reckon you'll be kind of tickled to get home yourself, won't you?

Yeah, that's the truth, Festus.

You know, I've been thinking about that boy, that Arlie Joe.

I wonder what's ever gonna become of him.

Chances are he'll turn out to be just like the rest of 'em, mean, no account.

It's a shame too, Matthew, 'cause that boy's got a lot of spunk,

if we could just get him away from them others.

I know. I offered him a chance to get out, but he turned me down cold.

I'd better look around for some more strays. I'll see you later.

See you directly.

Ain't that just the prettiest bunch of hides you ever seen?

Sweet angel done kissed our fevered brow.

Don't see no sign of Arlie Joe.

There he is.

Come on. Let's stay with him.

There he is. Still heading straight for the herd.

Look, Chunk. He'll never get that calf into the herd.

Wouldn't be too sure of it. Let's get closer.

What are you doing there, Arlie Joe?

You're looking for strays, ain't you?

- Does that one belong to the herd? - Don't know who else he'd belong to.

The way these drovers feel, you're taking quite a chance coming out here.

- They might shoot you. - Are you fixing to do that?

Now, why would I wanna do that?

Arlie Joe, you got kind of a funny notion about people.

Tell me something. Was it your friends sent you out here with this calf?

- They ain't my friends. - Well, you're right about that.

If you know it, why do you stay with them?

- I don't see as I got much choice. - Well, that's not exactly true.

You're almost grown.

A man your size can go into Dodge, get a full-time job

and be beholden to nobody.

You might even get lucky and find a family you could live with.

I'm 16. I don't need nobody looking after me.

Well, then, I feel sorry for you. You're pretty unlucky.

You know, when I was your age, I had a family looking out after me.

Took me out hunting with them, helped me with my schooling.

Well, there ain't nobody gonna wanna take me in anyway.

I don't know about that. I'll tell you something, Arlie Joe.

There's a good streak in you somewhere, hidden underneath all that dirt.

I'd like to see it have a chance to come out.

- You... You ain't just talking? - No, sir, I'm not just talking.

Can I borrow your gun, Marshal?

Calf had something Chunk called the droops.

Would have spread it through the whole herd.

It's no excuse, I know,

but Chunk said he'd lock me up in that cage again if I didn't mind him.

Put you in a cage?

With rats. Used to crawl around all over me.

Marshal! I just seen what Arlie Joe done shooting up that calf.

Couldn't help it. He run away on me.

You just fetch him up here to me and I'll teach him.

How are you gonna teach him? With rats?

Kill 'em. Kill 'em both.

They never could hit a barn.

You keep 'em busy. I'll go round and get 'em from behind.

Oh, Chunk!

Boy, they sure got Weevil.

Well, keep shooting, boy. They won't shoot you.

Getting caught in the middle again, Marshal?

Makes the end of the drive worthwhile, don't it, Marshal?

McKee, this better be the last fight

that you or any of your boys have in Dodge

or you'll wind up in jail, you got it?

Got it.

Marshal... you still make a lousy drover.

You ought to join one of them traveling acting companies. Look at you.

- What? - The way you're walking.

What's the matter with the way I'm walking?

Well, you're walking like a peg-legged sailor

pacing the deck of a four-masted schooner

- rounding the Horn in the Cape. - Why, you old scudder.

You just got done taking that splint off my leg

that I've had there for four weeks.

What do you expect me to do? A clog dance?

I told you three weeks ago you didn't even need the splint.

Well, I had to stove-up a pretty near busted leg.

Wrenched knee. Reset a wrenched knee.

Well, you charged me for a stove-up pretty near busted leg.

Charged you?

Just like you was a-fixin' to retire tomorrow.

- Charged you? - And you call yourself a friend.

If you ain't a-raggin' a body,

you're a-gouging him like he was one of them rich ray jobs.

A rich what? What was that? A rich what?

And the thing that frets me is you ain't gonna be able to spend all your money.

If you try taking it with you,

- your buryin' box is gonna be... - Just hush up.

So blamed heavy, I'll get a sprained backbone.

Just hush.

But you go on reading them little old books

so that you can flick, flick some of that herb medicine on sick folks

and then start gouging them again.

You done got enough money to burn a wet elephant with.

- I'm gonna tell you something... - Oh, howdy, Arlie Joe.

- Hi, Festus, Dr. Adams. - Arlie Joe.

- How's everything out at the farm? - Oh, fine, Festus.

Oh, by the way, that tonic you gave Mrs. Frye is working out just fine.

She's perking around spryer than springtime.

- Well, good. I'm glad to hear that. - You working hard, are you?

Yeah, but I'm enjoying it.

I always say, when a fella can get enjoyment out of the work he's doing,

it's the most envious-some thing there is.

Yeah, well, how d'you know about that?

Of course, there's things that's more important in life than money is.

Of course, there's some old quack-quacks that wouldn't know that.

Well, I'd better head on out of here before this gets any farther.

- Oh, howdy, Marshal. - Arlie Joe.

What was that about the quack-quack again?

- Do you want it writ down? - You can't write.

Smart aleck.

Matthew, what would you say about a old skinflint

that'd charge a fella three prices for doctoring him

and then turn right around and say

there wasn't nothin' wrong with him in the first place?

What would you say about that?

Well, I tell you what I'd say.

I'd say that the best thing for me to do is keep my mouth shut.

I wish... I wish you could write.

- That's what I wish. - I'll tell you this.

- There ought to be a law against... - And you'd write what you set down.

- A old money-grubbing skinflint... - I'd sue you...

That'd be ridiculous.